AMD Bulldozer architecture

[The Smith]

Jammin posted a news a few days ago about some early performance numbers of the Bulldozer architecture.

 

First of all, let me make a few corrections to it:

1. The Intel Atom D510 as well as all PineTrail CPUs DO contain a graphics core in the same die: the Intel GMA3150.
   
2. The Intel Atom D510 does not only use the x86 instruction set; it is 64-bit ready too.
   

 

That AMD Family 20 processor seems to be Ontario, a.k.a. Bobcat. If the rumors about the frequency are true, this looks like to be an amazing performance for the clock. In every case, I will take the worst case scenario.

 

First, let me say the Bulldozer processors are going to feature up to 16 threads(8 cores) and up to 8 threads(4 cores), for server and client parts, respectively. My main focus is the client parts; the one we are using in our rigs. In the statistics, it says the CPU used has 2 cores(threads seen by the OS), so that means it would be one Bobcat physical core. For more information, AnandTech has a great article about the architecture.

 

So here is my speculation.

 

• Integer performance: 3,120 Mops/sec/core / 1.6 GHz = 1,950 Mops/sec/Ghz/core
  
• Floating-point performance: 1,330 Mops/sec/core / 1.6GHz = 0,831 Mops/sec/Ghz/core
  

And that is not taking into account that Bulldozer has twice as much integer clusters than Bobcat, and that it has some L3 cache.

 

Now let's look at the Core i7 architecture.

 

• Integer performance: 7,566 Mops/sec/core / 2.66 GHz / 4 cores = 0,711 Mops/sec/Ghz
  
• Floating-point performance: 2,421 Mops/sec / 2.66GHz / 4 cores = 0,227 Mops/sec/Ghz
  

 

Let's put the numbers beside each other:

 

• Integer performance: 1,950 vs. 0,711 Mops/sec/Ghz
  
• Floating-point performance: 0,831 vs. 0,227 Mops/sec/Ghz
  

 

Overall, it looks like Bulldozer could potentially be a winner. The high-end desktop CPUs would have 4 cores, which would still be much stronger than a hexa-core Core i7 at the same frequency. Now, don't tell me these numbers are flawed in every way; I know it. This is only and only pure speculation. But for now, that's the best we can do.

 

Thoughts?

[Waco]

I don't want to speculate but I'm seriously looking forward to it.

[IVIYTH0S]

I don't want to speculate but I'm seriously looking forward to it.

I hope whatever comes out of them, it's a pleasant surprise

[SilverSS/SC]

I build my new rig with Bulldozer in mind. I can't wait to see what AMD brings out.

[joel.monteiro]

Arent These more power efficient? also ,looks temping if it can beat the i7s.

[AddictedGamer93]

Oh man I cant wait to get my hands on one of these puppies. Though i wonder what the TDP will be on said chip???

[CowKing]

so wait is this 32nm or 22nm?

[The Smith]

so wait is this 32nm or 22nm?

Bobcat, the one tested, will be made in 40nm at TSMC. The desktop bulldozer parts will be in 32nm, made at GF. They will come in later though.

 

Oh man I cant wait to get my hands on one of these puppies. Though i wonder what the TDP will be on said chip???

Bobcat is aimed at the ultra-mobile and netbook market so there are going to be some very low TDP versions. As for desktop Bulldozer parts, I don't think AMD plans to beat its 140W record.

[MrAlex]

What the? Isn't Ontario based on the Bobcat architecuture which is a completely new architecture ALONGSIDE Bulldozer?

 

so wait is this 32nm or 22nm?

 

Bulldozer is 32nm. Except Ontario which will be 40nm.

Edited August 7, 2010 by MrAlex

[The Smith]

What the? Isn't Ontario based on the Bobcat architecuture which is a completely new architecture ALONGSIDE Bulldozer?

 

 

 

This is 32nm. Except Llano which will be 40nm.

Well I'm not too sure if they call it a different architecture. I don't think so. If you look at the diagrams in Anand's article, Bobcat is just a scaled down Bulldozer. It has only one integer cluster and lacks the L3 cache.

 

And as I said, it is Bobcat that's going to be in 40nm. Llano is going to be 32nm, also made at GF. And it's not Bulldozer BTW. It's a next generation Athlon II core with a 480 stream processors GPU in the same die.

[MrAlex]

Well I'm not too sure if they call it a different architecture. I don't think so. If you look at the diagrams in Anand's article, Bobcat is just a scaled down Bulldozer. It has only one integer cluster and lacks the L3 cache.

 

And as I said, it is Bobcat that's going to be in 40nm. Llano is going to be 32nm, also made at GF. And it's not Bulldozer BTW. It's a next generation Athlon II core with a 480 stream processors GPU in the same die.

 

 

I remember one of the AMD Server Reps said that Anand had made quite a few mistakes in their article (was the guy who runs the Bulldozer Blog).

 

Also, if Bobcat was a derivative of Bulldozer, how would they have managed to get it down to <10W?

 

Ah, so Ontario will be manufactured at TSMC while Llano will be manufactured at GF?

[The Smith]

I remember one of the AMD Server Reps said that Anand had made quite a few mistakes in their article (was the guy who runs the Bulldozer Blog).

 

Also, if Bobcat was a derivative of Bulldozer, how would they have managed to get it down to <10W?

 

Ah, so Ontario will be manufactured at TSMC while Llano will be manufactured at GF?

Yeah I remember that, too. But nonetheless the slides in his article come directly from AMD.

 

As for Bobcat's TDP, well, it has only one core that's missing some stuff, and it's clocked down. It does contain an IGP in the same die, though! We don't know Bulldozer's TDP yet. so it's hard to make comparisons.

 

And from what I remember, yes, Bobcat is the only CPU to be manufactured at TSMC.